Modern social and moral
dilemmas: issues addressed by His Eminence Archbishop
Stylianos of Australia

Introduction

Many Christian denominations have been very outspoken in
recent years on a variety of social and moral issues that
modern society is confronted with almost on a daily basis.
Indeed, the media scramble has seen many churches try to
convey through extravagant media productions on television,
radio and even CD's their intended message. The views of
various Christian denominations about controversial issues
such as abortion, premarital sex and contraception are
always making headlines. The Greek Orthodox Church and other
Eastern Orthodoxy faiths however, have largely steered away
from the media circus and hype, preferring not to affiliate
themselves with public relation campaigns aimed at preaching
about political or social statements to the masses. So what
is the official doctrine of the Greek Orthodox Church on
such issues? What are the do's and dont's of the Church in
relation to contraception in the age of AIDS and other
social and moral issues? In an exclusive interview with
'Neos Kosmos', the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in
Australia, His Eminence Arch bishop Stylianos explains the
Church's public silence on these and other issues as well as
how the Church, which claims to be the original successor to
Christ's Apostolic church, deals with modem realities. To
the outsider the tradition of the Greek Orthodox faith
remains a mystical world of shimmering golden domed churches
and eastern Byzantine rituals, of black clad, bearded
priests and enchanting medieval hymns. Through these images
of incensed church halls and ancient traditions, how has the
world's oldest Christian denomination confronted some of the
pressing moral and ethical dilemmas which face humankind as
the final decade of the second millennium after Christ's
birth draws to a dose? Many western Christian faiths have
promoted themselves as modem messengers of Christ, and
enlist various media outlets to spread their message, using
colourful advertisements and even rock music to attract
.more so called "lost souls" to their congregations. The
Orthodox faith however has preferred not to participate in
public exhibitions and prefers not to make public statements
on various modem social dilemmas. However as the Primate of
the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia, Archbishop Stylianos
explains this does not mean that the Church has remained in
the dark, ages.

"We are not ignorant of contemporary realities.
Nor are we unaware of the social and moral questions
which face humankind in a modem world. "However our
Church does not aspire to formulate announcements and
decrees. "Moral, ethical, sociopolitical questions,
conditioned by new situations cannot be answered with one
simple 'yes' or 'no'."

"The Orthodox Church does not have a codex of answers
or formulas which are applied to such dilemmas. "It does
not deal with cases..... it looks out for the
individual."

According to Archbishop Stylianos, the nature of the
Orthodox Church is such, that it does not seek to make
public statements and doctrines about various social and
ethical dilemmas. As he explains the reason for this is
because, each individual case is different and each problem
or dilemma must be treated as unique. He adds that messages
for the masses are vague and unclear, and that they do not
accurately serve nor guide the individual.

"Out of respect for the sacredness of the
individual and the sacredness of the human person, being
created in the image and likeness of God, our Church does
not have ready-made answers. "Our Church respects the
human conscience and does not deem it necessary to make
statements that appear to be politically correct in the.
public's eyes at the expense of an individual's humanity.
"How can we make public statements about sacred and
delicate questions? We must respect the intimacy of the
human being. "We do not generalise. If we did this, we
would be reducing people to numbers. "If a person has a
problem or a moral dilemma, they can receive guidance by
a father, who will guide the believer as well as the
non-believer in the appropriate direction, according to
God's will. "Medicine as a scholarship never faces people
as cases alone, with ready made remedies and cures. Each
individual is different and requires special treatment.
"It is not as simple as baking a cake. There is no recipe
for humanity's needs."

Panorthodoxy

With the break up of the former Yugoslavia, Soviet Union
and her eastern states, there has been revival of the
Orthodox faith in these states. According to the Archbishop,
the Greek Orthodox Church has been conferring with other
Orthodox Churches about various issues which challenge the
contemporary societies and that it has addressed them via
pre-synodic meetings. These conferences which bring together
all the Orthodox Churches at the Patriarchal Centre in
Geneva, have been instrumental in planning for the future of
the Church as the third millennium after the birth of Christ
approaches.

"The Church has been very active in addressing
modern realities For this reason we have bilateral and
multi-lateral dialogues as part of the ecumenical nature
of the church. "We have dialogues with other Christian
and religious denominations, including western churches
as well as Islamic religious groups.

"The ecumenicity of Orthodoxy, obliges us also to be
ecumenical in action. "We have to be open minded under
the blessing of our sanctified tradition and at the same
time retain the truth of our Gospel"

Asked why Orthodox Churches were segmented according to
ethnic groups, (eg Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox etc),
His Eminence replied sternly that this was not a division,
but, rather an acknowledgment of the cultural ties between
Church and the people.

"This is not a division based on race. It is a
dedication to the physiognomy of the individual, and a
respect for his culture and language. "This ensures that
there is no division between people and the Church. For
the people are the Church. "We are not a separate entity
or a state within the state for the elite alone. It is an
enrichment and a variety, indicative of the universal
nature of our Church". Concurrently however 'nationalism'
too has become a force that has led to brutal conflict
and devastation in much of Eastern Europe. How has the
church assisted in quelling these forces? "The Church has
served as a stabilising factor in these regions and there
is growing resistance to extremist nationalist forces.
"What is the role of the Orthodox faith on a global
scale, and what are the challenges that it faces? "In the
last "Great Synod" held in Constantinople in 1870, the
Orthodox Churches condemned nationalism and racism as a
crime, and we continue to uphold this today"

According to his Eminence, the sporadic pre-synodic
meetings that have occurred over the last century, have
addressed many issues which will culminate in the next
"Great Synod" between all the Orthodox Churches.

Contraception

An author of many books and articles which confront some
pressing moral and ethical dilemmas the Archbishop is quite
outspoken and willingly discusses controversial issues such
as contraception, pre-marital sex.

Although as previously mentioned the Church does not
adhere to an official line on such issues, Archbishop
Stylianos, broke his public silence with some surprising
revelations.

"God has given human beings the means to face
and overcome difficulties. This comes in the form of the
conscience. "If one faces some dilemma and need some
birth-control, God has allowed for possibilities to face
this." "This does not mean, one is obliged to follow
blindly. The Church, through its servants can guide
believers as well as non-believers. "Some people may have
a reason to use contraception, and after discussing it
with a father, it may be acceptable for it to be used. "

Premarital sex and defacto
relationships

"The Church is aware that many young people,
because of peer group and social pressure engage in
pre-marital sex. "We do not propagate nor condone such
acts, but I am, as a servant for God, obliged to take it
seriously and look at every concrete case. "Sex is the
deepest and most sacred relationship between human
beings. It is the most intimate unity between two people
and must be respected as such. "One who treats it as an
act to satisfy the flesh is mutilating and ridiculing the
beauty of the act "It is not just abstinence either. A
relationship between another human being should be
developed properly and with maturity. "It is for the same
reason as mentioned before that we are against such
relationships. "Marriage is not just a piece of paper. It
is a holy mystery which is sealed by God and should not
be ridiculed."

Homosexuality

"The Church does not accept this act, because it is a
deviation from God's will and nature. St. Paul condemns
homosexuality in the New Testament. However, this does not
mean that they will be rejected from the Church. They are
treated as ill persons who have experimented with a void,
and the Church can administer its support on such
issues."

from Neos Kosmos,
quoted in the Archdiocese publication The Orthodox
Messenger, Jan/Feb 1995